This invention relates generally to electrical appliances, and more particularly to electric toasters having a movable carriage for receiving bread to be cooked and movable between a lower position in which power is supplied to heating elements in the toaster to cook the bread and an upper position in which power is shut off from the heating elements.
As is well known, such toasters are susceptible to jamming, where the movable carriage remains in the lower position even when it should have moved to the upper position. This results in the power remaining connected to the heating elements, since movement of the carriage causes the disconnection, with the consequent dangers of fire and electrocution if, as often happens a person attempts to "unjam" the carriage using a knife, fork or other metal implement.
In order to try to obviate these dangers, it is known to provide circuit breakers, either within the appliance or as an extra device fitted between the appliance and the power supply, which sense leakage of current from the appliance, for example by,,,being conducted to earth by a person contacting the heating elements using a metal implement, and immediately cut off the power to the appliance.
However, in such a case, or if there occurs a power failure while the carriage is in the lower position, the carriage will remain in that position as its release is controlled by a solenoid. This results in the possibly unexpected energisation of the appliance when the power supply is reconnected.